Guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and a couple of stints into the fashion world. Albert Hammond Jr. is one of those musicians that doesn’t fit into just one box. He started by being the guitarist in The Strokes, moved on to three solo albums and in the meantime designed a mini collection of three piece suits with stylist Ilaria Urbinati and one of ties with Elliot Aronow of Jacques-Elliott. His latest musical effort has been in producing Tokyo based indie rock band DYGL.

Your ideal dinner: choose 3 people and a location.

My ideal dinner and I have to pick three people. Haha. I think I would have to eat alone or just with one. Depends on the mood really. There is this Japanese place in LA that’s just an Omakase sushi bar with 12/14 seats. A good one on one dinner with a close friend would be great. Maybe go three times haha. I usually eat with my wife and my dog violet. She’s in her bag hidden under the table. She’s very quite. If it was people who were dead or alive I would say Carl Jung, John Lennon, Philip K Dick, Anne Sexton, Richard Brautigan, Basquit, Woody Allen, Beethoven, Dostoyevsky, Jim Carroll, Louis C.K. and Joe strummer. Hahaha. Sorry names kept popping up. Now I would have to go to an Italian restaurant.

Photo: Albert Hammond Jr by Christopher Gabello / Interview Magazine     I     Top Photo: Albert Hammond Jr live at Islington Assembly London by Sandra Sorensen 

Worse meal ever had when on tour?

So many. So so many. Anytime you eat at a truck stop unless you’re in Italy. I don’t remember an actually name but they know who they are. 

Best meal ever had when on tour?

Lucky to live in a time where most places have an amazing restaurant. I’ve toured for tour long to only pick one. In 2006 we did a Canadian tour and I went to this place in Winnipeg. It was an old big house. They turned all the rooms into small dining areas. I think it was called 529 Wellington. I had amazing sushi in Sydney at the top of the ANA hotel. Amazing views but they closed. The restaurant in the Park Hyatt in Berlin called Vox has a beautiful open kitchen. Wonderful food. Cigars at the end. They have an extensive wine list. The most recent place was in Tokyo. A place called Down The Stairs. They only have 2 or 3 options for lunch but it was just incredible. Also I’m Sydney they had an amazing breakfast. The place was called Paramount. Australia has the best coffee. You can’t really go wrong. Byron bay had this place called Bayleaf. The list goes on. If I had kept a record while being in the moment I would have a bible of amazing restaurants all over the world. It saddens me that I didn’t do it. I’m going to start. 

What do you like eating before a gig?

I like being a little hungry before a show. I need to go out there feeling like that to give it my all. I eat 2 or 3 hours before.

Photo: Pieter M Van Hattem/NME

Best restaurant you have been to and why is it special?

I don’t like best or favorite. It’s ever changing with mood. I love breakfast, lunch and dinner and all those would be at different places. Sometimes not the best restaurants make one thing really well. A special place for me is Hasaki in Manhattan because I’m friend with Mori the head chef and it’s fun to catch up. Brings me one step closer to opening a Japanese restaurant. There are a few restaurants where Justyna knows the manager or waitress and that’s fun too. Smile in NYC is a place I went to a lot.  

By Susanna Cappellaro | November 26, 2017